Before I start - a bit of a disclaimer - I consider Ya'acov Oryah a friend. That really does NOT impact what I think of his wines at all - but I think it's important to be up front about that when writing about wine and people expect objectivity. Now that that is out of … Continue reading Ya’acov Oryah 2018 Releases
2017 Barkan Beta Series Vin Gris
Good things come to those who wait. Many of us have been waiting for quite some time for Barkan to return to its former heights of the aughts, with some having given up all hope. But a little over a year ago a amidst a bit of a shakeup in the local wine scene, … Continue reading 2017 Barkan Beta Series Vin Gris
RCC Israel #20 – and on the lack of age-able whites
And now we are out of the teens.... For RCC Israel #20 we decided to go dairy in honor of the upcoming Shavuot holiday. This is always a challenge as most wines that are age-able and RCC worthy are reds. That doesn't mean there aren't excellent choices for whites and Roses - there are and … Continue reading RCC Israel #20 – and on the lack of age-able whites
2018 Annual Tzora Release Event
This year 3 wineries decided to hold their release events on the same day - Recanati, Gvaot and Tzora. While I love all of these wineries, Friday in Israel inexplicably always feels rushed and I could only spare the time to hit one of thee events. Tzora besides being perhaps the top winery in Israel … Continue reading 2018 Annual Tzora Release Event
2018 White Festival at the Hertzlia Marina
This is a festival I really enjoy going to every year. I happen to love the Marina in general as a setting - super chill and relxed - plus there are 3 decent kosher restaurants that are in the connected Arena Mall - Bistro 56, Lechem Basar & Papagaio Prime, so you can take a … Continue reading 2018 White Festival at the Hertzlia Marina
2015 Avidan Nebbiolo
A friend of mine was caught driving in Tel Aviv during the recent torrential downpours. Rather than fight his way through traffic, he pulled over at the first wine store he found and decided to pass the time more enjoyably. As he weaved through the aisles, he came across a few that he had not … Continue reading 2015 Avidan Nebbiolo
2016 Flam Classico
Most years, I really enjoy the Flam Classico. Usually it is a well made wine that can hold for a number of years and is complex enough to remain interesting and approachable enough even on release for causal drinkers to enjoy. It 's not cheap - the price is usually 80-90 shekels a bottle, but … Continue reading 2016 Flam Classico
RCC Israel #19
This was a very interesting night with one of our best wine lists ever. We ended up with a very international list (minus any American entries) - and each region showed beautifully. The food of course was excellent. Bracha and Uri continue to put out inventive and tasty dishes month after month. While Uri rarely … Continue reading RCC Israel #19
2017 Shiran The Conductor Rosé
During the mega-tasting I participated in a couple of weeks before Pesach, there were two bottles that seemed to be off. The first was the Herzberg Rosé which I had tasted at the winery and really enjoyed very much. The second was the Shiran Rosé which I had heard good things about but had not … Continue reading 2017 Shiran The Conductor Rosé
2017 Carmel Appellation Gewürztraminer
Last night I tasted the 2017 Carmel Appellation Rosé and was super impressed (notes to come eventually). I figured maybe they did a nice job on the Gewurtz as well. I was wrong. Sadly, while the price is OK (NIS 45), the wine itself falls flat in every area. The nose is very muted with … Continue reading 2017 Carmel Appellation Gewürztraminer